Child, Youth, and Family Programs

MacBain Community Centre Schedule & Programs

Join us at the MacBain Community Centre for a variety of programs for all ages! Be sure to check out the Aquatics schedule and the Library schedule to see what other programming is happening at the MacBain Community Centre! 

Registered Programs

Registration 

Sign up on ActiveNet (click here for more details on how to sign up) or in person for these fun, educational, multi-week programs!

Special Considerations

For individuals requiring special considerations to participate, please contact Nathan Smith and [email protected] in advance of registration.

Support Persons

A volunteer/caregiver/personal support worker accompanying a paying person requiring support enters free of charge.

Spring 2024 Programs - Check back often for more details on Spring programs. Registration opens on March 27.

  • Alchemy Yoga Classes: In partnership with Alchemy Yoga and Wellness Studio, we have yoga classes for youth of all ages, from infants to teens! Alchemy Yoga strives to provide you with a serene, safe space to get to know your body because that is what Yoga is about! With small class sizes, everyone from all walks of life can feel accepted and authentic here. You Belong!
  • Kidz Who Can Coding: Learning to code on a computer is similar to learning a language! Young children are able to pick these skills up very quickly, especially when they think they are just playing and having fun. KIDZ WHO CAN is a local Niagara business that provides workshops for young people, teaching coding fundamentals and basic graphic design skills. Children use prompts and activities to express their creativity through storytelling, animation, and visual design all while creating their own video games and projects! 
  • Magic Lessons: In partnership with Magic by Gil, these programs mixes art, music, AND magic! Learn how to read people’s minds, make money appear out of nowhere and travel through time with a magic bandana just to name a few. This life changing program builds self-confidence and develops critical communication skills in a fun and unique way that is guaranteed to unlock your child’s potential and impact the rest of their life.
    • Magic Explorers (5yrs - 7yrs): Magic Explorers is a brand-new program that mixes art, music, AND magic! Classes include art making, magic tricks, stories and learning the 3 keys to magic while taking adventures with our Magic Explorer characters!
    • Green Wand Course (8-12yrs): Get ready to take an amazing adventure into the exciting world of magic! Learn how to read people’s minds, make money appear out of nowhere and travel through time with a magic bandana just to name a few. In this course students will not only learn the 8 basic effects that make up all magic tricks, but more importantly they will discover the real secrets to becoming a true magician as each lesson reveals an important life skill to help build their confidence and communication skills. Each lesson comes with a custom magic prop, a top-secret file folder, and a secret word to unlock bonus videos in the online video vault. 
  • The Martial Arts Center Karate: In partnership with The Martial Arts Center, this 10-week program teaches Goju Ryu Karate, a traditional style of Okinawan martial arts. Goju is a well-balanced system which is great for youth of all ages. At the youth level, the program teaches the fundamentals of Karate, with a focus on improved fitness, coordination, courtesy, self-confidence, and control. Participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and test to advance in belt levels near the end of the session. A uniform t-shirt is required and can be purchased from the Center at the first class for $25. 
    • Date: 10-week program, Fridays starting April 12, 2024
    • Cost: $120
    • Beginner/Intermediate (8yrs - 12yrs) - 6:00-7:00 pm. Click here to register!
  • Racquetball Lessons: Come out and discover the basics of Racquetball learning skills, drills, and games from community Racquetball coaches Todd Bright and Tammy Gray. The small group settings will ensure everyone gets plenty of playtime and coaching! All equipment provided.
  • RoboThink Robotics: Offers fun & educational robotics, STEM and coding programs to children! We go beyond robotics, fostering self-confidence, technical mastery, creativity, and spatial awareness. Join us for a journey of fun and endless STEM learning possibilities! This season's themes include RoboPetz:  Welcome to the enchanting world of RoboThink RoboPetz Store! Step into this immersive program where students can bring their wildest animal dreams to life by constructing a captivating array of robotic creatures. From adorable puppy, baby elephant, to self-moving unicorns, the possibilities are endless! Demolition Robots:  Embrace your inner engineer and build mighty demolition robots using gears, axles, DC motors and precision! In this program, the students will become demolition engineers, constructing powerful robots such as bulldozers, wrecking balls, power drills, and dump trucks. STEM Coding & Robotics:  Build and program your very own robots and learn the art of coding in a fun and engaging way! In this introduction to coding and robotics, students will be using RoboThink’s own proprietary hardware and software to build and code a wide variety of different machines, like a wind turbine and a rubber band shooting turret! This camp has students using LEDs, Infrared Sensors, Servo motors and more.
    • Date: 5-week programs, starting Saturday April 13 & Saturday, May 25 2024
    • Cost: $190
    • Classes: 
  • Sportball Multi-Sport: Multi-Sport classes keep children moving and engaged and send them home with new skills from a different sport in each class. These well-rounded classes provide an amazing foundation for a lifetime of active living, bundling soccer, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, golf and tennis into one comprehensive package. Sportball Methodology is designed to support three key areas of early childhood development: sports skills, pro-social skills, and motor skills.
  • Tennis Lessons: Join us at the brand-new Niagara Falls Racquet Centre at John Allan Park. Thanks to an enclosed dome, you can enjoy tennis year-round! Professional instructors will guide you through skills, drills, and games to develop your abilities in a small group environment. Equipment is available upon request. We also offer adult lessons, click here! 
  • Home Alone Course: The Home Alone Program is designed to provide children ten years of age (or turning ten this year) and older with the necessary skills and knowledge to be safe and responsible when home alone for short periods of time. It will help them understand how to prevent problems, handle real-life situations, and keep them safe and constructively occupied. All required materials are included in the registration fee. 
  • Babysitting Course: The Canada Safety Council Babysitting course covers everything from managing difficult behaviours to essential content on leadership and professional conduct as a babysitter. Aspiring babysitters also learn basic first-aid skills. All required materials are included in the registration fee.

Municipal Fee Assistance

We want everyone in our community to have the chance to participate. Money should not be a barrier!

Financial assistance to help with child/youth program fees.

Information about more subsidies and grants.

Refund Policy 

  • For Programs, Courses, and Special Events with two or fewer classes/sessions:
    • A refund will be issued if it is more than 48 hours from the start of the course
    • No refunds will be issued within 48 hours from the start of the course
  • For Programs, Courses, and Special Events with three or more classes/sessions:
    • A refund will be issued if the class has not started
    • Once the class has started, registration fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis
    • No refunds will be issued after the third class
  • Late Enrollment: Joining after the first class will only result in a prorated fee if the program is delivered by Niagara Falls staff (ex. Swim Lessons) and not if delivered by a 3rd party provider (ex. Carousel Players Drama Program)  
  • All refunds and transfers are subject to a $10.00 administration fee, per participant
  • A full 100% refund is given if the program is cancelled by the City of Niagara Falls

Drop In Programs

No need to register! Just drop on by for open programs that anyone can enjoy! Equipment available to borrow for any drop in program. ID is required for equipment.

Supervision Requirements: For All Ages Drop In Programs, children under 12 must be accompanied by a caregiver who is a minimum 16 years of age.

Support persons: A volunteer/caregiver/personal support worker accompanying a paying person requiring support enters free of charge.

Day Passes available: Get access to all the great drop in programs plus the pool for only $10 per child / $15 per adult / $25 per family (excludes indoor play structure)

School Holiday Programs

Total Solar Eclipse 

Join us on Monday, April 8th, 2024, to witness the total solar eclipse in Niagara Falls, ranked #11 on National Geographic's "Best of the World" list for travel adventures. The moon is expected to completely cover the sun in the direct path of totality, making this a rare opportunity to observe this phenomenon. The event will last for almost four minutes, starting at 2:04 pm and ending at 4:31 pm, with totality occurring at 3:18 pm. The total solar eclipse will traverse North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. After 2024, the next chance to witness such an event in North America will be in more than 20 years. For more information on the Eclipse phenomena click here. Looking for some great ways to enjoy the day?

Free All Ages Community Activities on Monday, April 8th

  • Pickleball – 12:15pm-2:15pm
  • Table Tennis – 1:00pm-8:45pm
  • Badminton – 2:30-4:30
  • Basketball –  4:45pm-8:45pm
  • Open Swim 
    • Leisure Pool – 8:00am-8:45pm
    • Lane Pool (no slide) - 1:00pm-7:00pm
  • Community Centre Library PD Day Fun - 10:00am-11:30am
    • For this special PD Day all activities will be about space and the eclipse. Join us for games, crafts, obstacle courses, scavenger hunts and more. Have some fun at the library on your day off from school!
  • Glow Crafts - 11:45am-1:45pm
    • Don't let anything eclipse your creativity! Using glow in the dark beads and paint, join us for a variety of crafts including glow bracelets, pipe cleaner figures, painting, and more!
    • Spots are limited! Click here to register. 
  • Glow Dance Party - 2:15pm-4:15pm
    • We'll be covering the windows with black out paper and providing a whole bunch of glow sticks, glow crowns, and more while playing family friendly music! Snacks and drinks will also be available. 
    • Spots are limited! Click here to register.